Wheel with extended outer flange

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides an improved wheel and tire for simulating the appearance of a larger-diameter wheel mounted within a low-profile tire. The wheel has an inboard side and an outboard side. The outboard side includes a wide outer flange which extends around the outer circumference of the wheel. The outer flange and/or the outboard face of the wheel is preferably detachable from the remainder of the wheel. The inboard side may include a wide inboard flange which is preferably detachable. The flanges preferably cover a substantial portion of the wall of the outer tire within which the wheel is mounted. A design, preferably comprised of, for example, a plurality of protrusions, indentations, and slits, extends across at least a portion of the outboard face of the wheel, including the outboard face of the extended outer flange.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/361,707, filed on Feb. 6, 2003, which is a continuation-in-part ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/266,040, filed on Oct. 7, 2002, nowU.S. Pat. No. 6,820,669.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to tires and wheels for vehicles and inparticular to tires and wheels for creating the appearance oflow-profile tires mounted on large-diameter wheels.

2. Description of the Related Art

In recent years, consumer demand for large-diameter vehicle wheelsmounted within low-profile tires has increased dramatically. Such wheelsand tires create a stylish look for the vehicle on which they are used,but they cost much more than standard-sized wheels and tires. As aconsequence, large-diameter wheels and low profile tires are desired bymany consumers, but are beyond the financial reach of a large segment ofthe market. Moreover, most companies that make wheels are set up formass production of wheels of certain standard sizes, and have oftenlagged behind consumer demand in developing or re-tooling expensiveequipment, including molds and casting machinery, to produce the largestwheels desired by consumers.

In addition, as wheels become larger and the corresponding tires becomesmaller, the ride performance of the wheel-tire combination oftensuffers. For example, a smaller tire surrounding a larger wheel providesless air volume to support the vehicle. The proper amount of air volumeallows the vehicle to absorb substantial vibration and other verticaland/or horizontal motion in the wheels. When the air volume is reduced,the vehicle may not ride as smoothly and the weigh-load rating may bemore limited. By limiting the weigh-load rating, the market for certaintypes of vehicles (such as trucks or SUVs) may be significantlydecreased. Thus, it would be advantageous to provide the appearance ofthinner tire and larger wheel while providing a smoother ride, higherweight-load rating, and more tire between the wheel and the road.

Some consumers who want the look of large-diameter wheels, but whocannot afford them or are concerned with diminished ride performance,may be willing to pay an intermediate cost to make standard-sized wheelsand tires take on the appearance of the more expensive (and possiblyunavailable) products. Detachable wheel extensions, such as the oneshown in U.S. Patent Publication No. U.S. 2002/0079735 A1, have beenused to attempt to simulate the appearance of larger wheels mountedwithin low-profile tires. However, such extensions mask a portion of thefront face of the wheel and do not provide a surface integral with thedesign on the face of the wheel. Thus, the attempted simulation does nothave a realistic appearance.

In particular, some wheel extensions of the prior art have an inner ringthat is removably secured within an inside edge of the outer lip of theexisting wheel using a compression fit (as with a standard hub cap). Awide outer flange is attached to the inner ring and extends radiallyoutwardly across a portion of the outside tire wall. The wheelextensions are intended to be used with many different types of wheelshaving a variety of surface designs on their front faces. The outwardsurfaces of the inner ring and outer flange generally have a smooth,generic appearance to attempt to aesthetically interface with all ofthese different designs. Although outer flanges of the prior art mayinclude a narrow, upturned lip formed along the outer diameter of theflange and/or an undulated outward surface (e.g., a smooth stair-steppattern of concentric rings), the flanges do not include protrusions,indentations, or slits on their surfaces as are commonly found on thecentral portion of the front face of many wheels.

The inner ring for securing the wheel extension to the wheel isgenerally at least about 1/2 inch thick around its circumference, whichcovers up a significant portion of the underlying wheel face. Whenmounted on a wheel with a 17-inch diameter, a ½-inch thick ring makesthe wheel appear to be only 16-inches in diameter. This results in areduction of the visible surface area of the wheel by well over 10percent. In addition, the smooth outward surfaces of the inner ring andouter flange generally do not blend in well with the existing design ofthe wheel. Indeed, the wheel extensions of the prior art are usuallyeasily detectable by even a casual observer, and merely give theappearance of an over-extended add-on lip covering a portion of theouter tire wall. Thus, the attempted simulation is not only ineffective,it actually creates the opposite effect. Rather than simulating a largerwheel mounted within a low profile tire, the wheel extension gives theappearance of a smaller wheel mounted on a standard tire.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an improved wheel and tire for simulatingthe appearance of a larger-diameter wheel mounted within a low-profiletire. The wheel has an inboard side and an outboard side. The outboardside includes a wide outer flange which extends around the outercircumference of the wheel. The outer flange and/or the outboard face ofthe wheel is preferably detachable from the remainder of the wheel. Theinboard side may also include a wide inboard flange that is preferablydetachable. The flanges preferably cover a substantial portion of theouter wall of the tire within which the wheel is mounted. A design,preferably comprised of, for example, a plurality of protrusions,indentations, and slits, extends across at least a portion of theoutboard face of the wheel, including the outboard face of the extendedouter flange.

The improved tire of the present invention is intended to be mounted onthe improved wheel of the present invention with an extended outerflange. The tire comprises an outboard tire wall, an inboard tire wall,and a tread therebetween. Each of the tire walls preferably includes alaterally extending wheel protector, a ledge, and a flange seat. Theflange seat is preferably contoured to match the inner and outer facesof the inner and outer flanges of the wheel, and the flange seat may bemore rigid than the remainder of the tire to prevent the tire fromdeflecting into the outer flange of the wheel under the load of avehicle.

The wheel of the present invention may be mounted within a standard tireof the prior art or may be mounted within the tire of the presentinvention to produce a highly effective simulation of a larger-diameterwheel mounted with a low-profile tire, without sacrificing wheel and/ortire ride performance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an outboard perspective view of a wheel as in the prior art.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the wheel of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an outboard front view of a tire to be mounted on the wheel ofFIG. 1 as in the prior art.

FIG. 4 is an outboard front view of the wheel of FIG. 1 with the tire ofFIG. 3 mounted thereon.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the wheel and tire of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an outboard perspective view of an embodiment of a wheel ofthe present invention.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the wheel of FIG. 6.

FIG. 7A is a side view of another embodiment of a wheel of the presentinvention.

FIG. 7B is a side view of another embodiment of a wheel of the presentinvention.

FIG. 7C is a side view of another embodiment of a wheel of the presentinvention.

FIG. 7D is a side view of another embodiment of a wheel of the presentinvention.

FIG. 8 is an outboard front view of the wheel of FIG. 6 with the tire ofFIG. 3 mounted thereon.

FIG. 8A is an outboard front view of the wheel of FIG. 7A or FIG. 7Cwith the tire of FIG. 3 mounted thereon.

FIG. 8B is an outboard front view of the wheel of FIG. 7B with the tireof FIG. 3 mounted thereon.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the wheel and tire of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is an outboard front view of an embodiment of a tire of thepresent invention.

FIG. 11 is a side view of a wheel of the present invention with the tireof FIG. 10 mounted thereon.

FIG. 11A is a side view of a wheel of the present invention with anotherembodiment of the tire of the present invention mounted thereon.

FIG. 11B is a side view of another embodiment of a wheel of the presentinvention with the tire of FIG. 11A mounted thereon.

FIG. 12 is a side view of another embodiment of a wheel of the presentinvention with the tire of FIG. 10 mounted thereon.

FIG. 13 is a side view of another embodiment of a wheel of the presentinvention with the tire of FIG. 10 mounted thereon.

In FIGS. 2, 5, 7, 9, and 11, a portion of the wheels is shown cut awayto illustrate the interior space.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

When mounted on a vehicle, a wheel has an “inboard” side that faces theinterior of the vehicle and an “outboard” side that faces away from thevehicle. FIG. 1 shows an outboard perspective view of a wheel 20 as inthe prior art. The wheel 20 has a central hub 22 with an outboard face24. The wheel 20 also has a sidewall 26 that extends horizontally away(i.e., in the outboard direction) from the central hub 22, and anoutboard lip 28 that extends radially outwardly from the outer edge ofthe sidewall 26. As used herein, the term “radially outwardly” refers tosubstantially circular or cylindrical surfaces that extend from an innerpoint, line, or circle to an outer circle.

Referring to FIG. 2, on the inboard side of the wheel 20 is an inboardlip 30 that is similar in shape and size to the outboard lip 28. In atypical wheel of the prior art, each lip 28, 30 is about 3/4 inch longfrom the base of the lip to the peak of the lip, and about 1/4 inch inthickness from the outboard side of the lip to the inboard side of thelip.

The portion of the wheel 20 extending between the inboard iip 30 and theoutboard lip 28 is known as the wheel barrel 32. The barrel 32 issubstantially cylindrical in shape and its central axis lies on thecenter of the face 24 of the wheel 20. In a typical 17-inch wheel, thedistance along the wall 38 of the barrel 32 between the inboard lip 30and the outboard lip 28 is about 8 inches. The barrel 32 must besufficiently rigid to resist the substantial forces that act upon thewheel 20, especially during extreme acceleration, braking, and turning.As a result, the majority of the mass of the wheel 20 is generallylocated in the barrel 32, and the majority of the cost of the alloymetal used to make the wheel is spent on the material for the barrel 32.

There is a significant difference in barrel 32 masses among wheels ofdifferent sizes. An approximation for the volume of the alloy metalrequired to make the barrel 32 is calculated as follows:0.25πt(d_(out) ²−d_(in) ²)

-   -   where t is the barrel depth or distance between the inboard and        outboard lips 30, 28; d_(in) is the inner diameter of the barrel        32; and d_(out) is the outer diameter of the barrel 32. The        foregoing formula approximates the volume of the barrel 32 by        presuming that the wall of the barrel 32 has a uniform diameter        across its entire surface, even though it varies somewhat (due        primarily to the sloping portions 34), but the calculation is        sufficiently close for purposes of this description.

The thickness of the wall of the barrel 32 is typically about 5/16 inch.As an example, a 17-inch wheel has an inner barrel diameter (d_(in)) ofabout 17 inches, an outer barrel diameter (d_(out)) of about 17⅝ inches(i.e., the inner diameter plus the wall thickness on both sides), and abarrel depth (t) of about 8 inches. Using the foregoing equation, theresulting volume of the alloy metal for a 17-inch wheel is calculated tobe about 136 cubic inches. In contrast, a 22-inch wheel has an innerbarrel diameter of about 22 inches, an outer barrel diameter of about22⅝ inches, and a barrel depth of about 10 inches. The resulting volumeof the alloy metal is therefore about 220 cubic inches. Thus, a 22-inchwheel requires over 60% more alloy metal for the wall of the wheelbarrel 32 than a 17-inch wheel, even though the inner barrel diameter isless than about 30% larger in a 22-inch wheel than a 17-inch wheel. Thisdifference in material requirements is the primary reason whylarge-diameter wheels are much more expensive to manufacture thanstandard-sized wheels.

Referring to FIGS. 3-5, the tire 40 includes an outboard tire wall 42,an inboard tire wall 44, a tread 46, an outboard bead 48, an inboardbead 50, and a wheel void 52. The tire beads 48, 50 are essentiallyindented rings formed on the inner radial edges of the respectiveinboard and outboard tire walls 42, 44. The wheel 20 is mounted withinthe wheel void 52 of the tire 40.

During the tire mounting process, the outboard bead 48 of the tire 40 isforced behind the outboard lip 28 of the wheel 20, and the inboard bead50 is forced behind the inboard lip 30. The width of the beads 48, 50 isintended to generally correspond to the height of the lips 28, 30. Whena mounted tire is filled with air, the interior air pressure forces thebeads 48, 50 firmly against the interior sides of the lips 28, 30,forming an air-tight seal. Because the lips 28, 30 and beads 48, 50 havegenerally corresponding sizes, the tire walls 42, 44 usually do not,under normal conditions and stationary loads, need to contort or stretchto pass around the lips 28, 30.

FIG. 6 is an outboard perspective view of an embodiment of a wheel 60 ofthe present invention. The wheel 60 has an outboard face 64 and aninboard face (not shown). The outboard face 64 is comprised of twoconcentric regions: a central hub 62 and an extended outer flange 66. Asused herein, terms relating to circles and cylinders, such as“circular,” “cylindrical,” “diameter,” “radius,” and “concentric,” arenot intended to be limited to perfectly round structures. Rather,generally circular shapes, including those with large radial protrusionsor indentations are encompassed by these terms.

The central hub 62 and the outer flange 66 may be integral with eachother. The structural integrity may reduce the risk that the componentparts become damaged and separated, and it may provide a greater degreeof continuity in appearance between the structures. The central hub 62and the outer flange 66 are still considered to be integral with eachother if additional structures (such as, for example, a lug nut cover)are attached to all or a portion of the central hub 62.

The region between the outboard face 64 and the inboard face is thewheel barrel 70. The wheel barrel 70 is approximately cylindrical inshape and its central axis lies approximately on the center of the face64 of the wheel 60. An inboard lip 68 extends radially outwardly alongthe outer edge of the inboard face.

The central hub 62 extends radially from the center of the outboard face64 to approximately the same outer diameter as the wheel barrel 70(which is attached to the inboard side of the outboard face 64). Theouter flange 66, in turn, extends from the outer diameter of the centralhub 62 to the full outer diameter of the wheel face 64. The outer flange66 has an outboard face 72 and an inboard face 74 (see FIG. 7). In theembodiment shown in FIG. 6, the boundary between the central hub 62 andouter flange 66 is essentially seamless. The seamless boundary ispreferred because it enhances the desired simulation of alarger-diameter wheel. However, wheels with readily discernibleboundaries between the central hub 62 and outer flange 66 may stillprovide the desired appearance and are encompassed by the presentinvention.

In the illustrated example, the diameter of the central hub 62 isapproximately 17 inches, and the radial width across the flange face 72is approximately 2 1/2 inches. Thus, the diameter of the outboard face64 of the wheel 60 is approximately 22 inches. Numerous other possiblesize combinations will be apparent to those of skill in the art afterreading this disclosure. For example, central hubs 62 having diametersbetween 13 inches and 22 inches could be combined with outer flanges 66with widths of 1 inch, 1½ inch, 2 inches, 2½ inches, 3 inches, 3½inches, or 4 inches to produce overall wheel faces 64 of between 15inches and 30 inches. Many other sizes within and beyond these rangesand examples are encompassed by the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 6, the wheel 60 includes an integral aesthetic designon its outboard face 62. The design preferably extends from the centralhub 62 into and across at least a portion of the outer flange 66. Thedesign on the front face 72 of the outer flange 66 preferably includes apattern of surface variations comprising a plurality of at least one ofeither indentations 76, protrusions 78, or slits 80 that areaesthetically consistent with and blend into the design of the centralhub 62. As used herein, the term “slits” encompasses grooves formed on asurface whether or not such grooves pass through the surface. In theillustrated embodiment, the integral design creates the appearance thatthe spokes formed on the central hub 62 extend into the outer flange 66,making it more difficult to perceive upon casual inspection where thecentral hub 62 ends and the outer flange 66 begins. Indeed, theconsistency and blending of the designs on the central hub 62 and outerflange 66 make it unlikely that the casual observer of a mounted wheel60 would notice that the outer flange 66 extends beyond the wheel barrel70.

In the illustrated example, the outer flange 66 has an upper portion 67and a lower portion 69. The thickness of the upper portion 67 of theouter flange 66 is about 1/4 inch, although the indentations andprotrusions on the outboard surface of the outer flange 66 may producevariations in the thickness of the outer flange 66 in certain regionsacross its face. The thickness of the upper portion 67 of the outerflange 66 is preferably between about 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch, and theoutboard and inboard surfaces of the upper portion 67 are preferablygenerally parallel. In the illustrated embodiment, the lower portion 69of the outer flange 66 is thicker than the upper portion 67. The inboardface of the lower portion 69 preferably has a curved upper edge and astraight lower edge. In the example shown, the thickness of the lowerportion 69 ranges from about 1/4 inch along its upper edge to about 1/2inch along its lower edge. The thickness of the outer flange 66 for agiven wheel is determined by a variety of factors relating to aestheticsand structural integrity. Many other possible shapes and thicknesses forthe outer flange 66 will be apparent to those of skill in the art afterreading this disclosure and are encompassed by the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 7, the radial extension of the inboard lip 68 ispreferably less than the radial extension of the outer flange 66. In theillustrated embodiment, the height of the inboard lip 68 is about 3/4inch long from its peak to its base (at the outer radius on the inboardside of the wheel barrel 70), and about 1/4 inch in thickness from itsoutboard side to its inboard side. Thus, the inboard lip 68 ispreferably comparable in size to the inboard and outboard lips 30, 28 oftypical prior art wheels. The height of the inboard lip is preferablybetween about 1/2 inch and 3/4 inch. The inboard lip 68 is preferablysmaller than the outer flange 66 to facilitate mounting a tire on thewheel 60 by permitting the leading edge of the tire to be slid over thesmaller inboard side of the wheel 60 and then merely abutted against theinterior side of the extended flange 66. It would be more difficult toslide the leading edge of the tire over the extended outer flange 66 onthe outboard side of the wheel 60. Moreover, the smaller inboard lip 68requires less alloy metal material than would an inboard lip comparablein size to the outer flange 66. The inboard lip 68 may also becomparable in size and/or shape with the outer flange 66 so as toproduce a more balanced wheel 60.

Additional embodiments of the wheel of the present invention are shownin FIGS. 7A-7D. In the embodiment of FIG. 7A, the outboard face 64 ofthe wheel 60 is removably attached to the remainder of the wheel 60. Thewheel 60 preferably includes an outboard lip 71 that is comparable insize and shape to the inboard lip 68. The removable outboard face 64includes an outer flange 66 that extends radially beyond the outerdiameter of the outboard lip 71. The inboard face 74 of the outer flange66 preferably includes a notch 73 that extends in the inboard direction.

The notch 73 preferably abuts against the outboard lip 71, and helps toproperly align the outboard face 64 with the outboard lip 71 duringinstallation (e.g., as a stock component or as an after-market product).The notch 73 also helps to bear the weight load of the vehicle betweenthe tire and the wheel barrel 70, especially upon decompression of thetire on which the wheel 60 is mounted. Without a notch 73 or anequivalent structure, the weight of the vehicle would be bornesubstantially by the bolts (described below) or other means whichconnect the outboard face 64 to the remainder of the wheel 60.

The outboard face 64 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 7A, like theoutboard face 64 shown in FIG. 6, preferably includes an integralaesthetic design that extends into and across at least a portion of theouter flange 66. The design on the outboard face 64 of the outer flange66 preferably includes a pattern of surface variations comprising aplurality of at least one of either indentations, protrusions, or slitsthat are aesthetically consistent with and blend into the design on thecentral hub 62 of the outboard face 64.

The outboard face 64 is preferably attached to the remainder of thewheel 60 by bolts 75 passing through the outboard face and into thecentral and/or peripheral portions of the central hub 64. Those of skillin the art will appreciate after reading this disclosure thatalternative or additional means may also be used to attach the outboardface 64 to the central hub 62 and are encompassed by the presentinvention.

For example, the outboard face 64 could also be attached to theremainder of the wheel 60 using the lug studs and lug nuts (not shown)that attach the wheel 60 to the vehicle. In such an arrangement, the lugstuds would preferably be longer than standard studs so that they wouldextend from the vehicle, through the central hub 62 of the wheel 60, andthrough lug holes in the central portion of the outboard face 64. Thelug nuts would then be passed over the lug studs until the lug nuts abutsecurely against the outboard side of the outboard face 64.Alternatively, a first set of lug nuts may be used to secure theunderlying wheel 60 to the vehicle in the conventional manner, and thenthe outboard face 64 may be mounted against the wheel 60 with theextended portion of the lug bolts passing through corresponding holes inthe central part of the outboard face 64. A second set of lug nuts maythen be used to secure the outboard face 64 to the wheel 60 by passingsuch nuts over the extended portions of the lug bolts and against theoutboard face 64. The outboard face 64 may also be secured to the wheel60 by passing screws 79 through the central portion of the outboard face64 and into the wheel 60 between the lug nuts (see FIG. 8A). The meansfor connecting the outboard face 64 to the wheel 60, whether in the formof bolts, lug nuts, screws, or some other equivalent connector, may becovered by additional structures such as plates or caps to achieve adesired aesthetic or functional effect.

The embodiment of FIG. 7A generally provides the following advantages(depending upon the particular way it is implemented): (1) allowing auser to remove the outboard face 64 and replace it with an alternativeoutboard face with a different design (or a standard hubcap); (2) duringtire installation, maintenance, and/or replacement, the extended flange66 on the outboard face 64 is not an obstruction because the outboardface 64 can be quickly and easily removed; (3) if the outboard face 64is damaged, it may generally be replaced at a lower cost than replacingthe entire wheel 60; and (4) the vehicle on which the wheel 60 ismounted may generally be used even when the outboard face 64 is removed.These advantages are not necessarily achieved in all embodiments of FIG.7A or in other embodiments of the present invention.

In the embodiment of FIG. 7B, the outer flange 66 is removably attachedto the remainder of the wheel 60. The outer flange 66 in this embodimentis preferably a ring with an inner diameter smaller than the outerdiameter of the outboard lip 71 and with an outer diameter larger thanthe outer diameter of the inboard lip 71. Accordingly, the outer flange,when aligned with the periphery of the central hub 64, preferablyoverlaps a portion of the central hub 62 and extends radially outwardlybeyond the outboard lip 71.

Bolts 75 are preferably passed through the outer flange 66 in the regionof overlap with the central hub 64 to thereby removably secure the outerflange 66 thereto. Those of skill in the art will appreciate afterreading this disclosure that other means for attaching the outer flange66 to the central hub 62 may also be used and are encompassed by thepresent invention.

As in the embodiments of FIGS. 7 and 7A, the outboard face of thecentral hub 64 of FIG. 7B includes an aesthetic design, and the outboardface 72 of the outer flange 66 also includes an aesthetic design.Preferably, the respective designs of the central hub 62 and outerflange 66 are consistent and blend with each other to create theimpression that the outer flange 66 is a unitary part of the wheel 60.The embodiment of FIG. 7B preferably provides each of the advantagesdescribed in connection with the embodiment of FIG. 7A. The foregoingadvantages may be more pronounced in the embodiment of FIG. 7B becauseit is generally more easily detachable and less expensive tomanufacture.

The embodiment of FIG. 7C is very similar to the embodiment of FIG. 7A,but the outboard face 64 includes the outboard lip 71. The bolts 75 arepreferably longer in the illustrated embodiment (as compared with theembodiment of FIG. 7A) so as to extend from the outboard face 64 asufficient distance into the outboard portion of the wheel barrel 70. Bycombining the outboard face 64 and the outboard lip 71 into a unitarystructure, it is generally possible to more easily install or remove atire on the wheel, especially when tire-installation equipment is notreadily available. The tire bead would not need to be bent or stretchedaround the outboard lip 71 of the wheel 60 because the outboard lip 71may be removed entirely before sliding the tire on the wheel 60. Such anarrangement makes it more convenient to replace a punctured or blown-outtire on the road. Indeed, it would not even be necessary for vehicles toinclude a heavy spare tire-wheel combination. Instead, vehicles equippedwith the embodiment of FIG. 7C (and other embodiments shown herein)could merely carry an extra tire without the extra wheel. Many vehicleemergency kits come standard with small portable compressors for fillingup tires which could be used to fully inflate a spare tire mounted on awheel with a detachable bead.

The embodiment of FIG. 7C also preferably includes an aesthetic designon the outboard face of the central hub 64 and on the outer flange 66.As with the other embodiments described herein, the respective designson the central hub 64 and outer flange 66 are preferably consistent withand blend into each other.

In the embodiment of FIG. 7D, the inboard side of the wheel includes adetachable inboard flange 77. The inboard flange 77 is preferablyconnected to the inboard side of the wheel using bolts 79. As previouslyexplained, other attachments means may also be used. The inboard flange77 makes the wheel 60 more balanced by including structures ofapproximately the same weight and radial position on the opposite sideof the wheel 60 from the outboard flange 66. The precise balancing ofwheels and tires is often a challenge for those designing andmaintaining vehicles because imbalances may potentially cause road noiseor misalignment problems. Moreover, when a tire is punctured duringtravel or removed for maintenance or replacement, the vehicle may tip inthe direction of the deflated tire and rest upon the outermost radialportions of the wheel on which the tire was mounted. In the embodimentof FIG. 7D, the load carried by the outboard flange 66 is effectivelyreduced by half because it is shared by the inboard flange 77.

The width of the inboard flange 77 (i.e., the difference between itsouter diameter and its inner diameter) in the illustrated embodiment isapproximately 2½ inches. The width of the inboard flange 77 may bevaried depending upon the intended usage of the wheel 60, and suchwidths may include 1 inch, 1½ inches, 2 inches, 2½ inches, 3 inches, 3½inches, or 4 inches. Many other widths within and beyond these rangesand examples are encompassed by the present invention.

The inboard flange is preferably detachable, especially when used with awheel having a unitary outer flange 66 and central hub 62 (as shown inFIG. 7D) to facilitate removal, when necessary, of the tire from thewheel 60. The inboard flange 77 may also be used on the embodimentsshown in FIGS. 7A and 7B. The inboard flange may also be integral withthe inboard lip 28, especially if used on the embodiments of FIGS. 7Aand 7B, wherein the tire may be removed by passing it over the outboardside of the wheel 60. The inboard flange 77 may also be integral with aremovable inboard wheel face plate which may include the inboard lip(e.g., a mirror image of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 7A and 7C).

The inboard flange 77 preferably does not include a design on its facebecause it is not normally open to view when mounted on the vehicle, anda design would add unnecessary cost to the product. The inboard flange77 could alternatively be produced with a design on its face to producea more precise balance between the inboard and outboard sides of thewheel or for other considerations.

The various embodiments of the wheel 60 may be mounted within a typicalprior art tire such as the tire 40 illustrated in FIG. 3. During thetire mounting process, the outboard bead 48 of the tire 40 is positionedbehind the outer flange 66, and the inboard bead 50 is positioned behindthe inboard lip 68. When the mounted tire is filled with air, theinterior air pressure forces the beads 48, 50 firmly against theinterior sides of the outer flange 66 and the inboard lip 68.

FIG. 8 is an outboard front view of the wheel 60 with a typical priorart tire 40 mounted thereon. Although the diameters of the barrels 32,70 of the wheels 20, 60 shown in FIGS. 4 and 8 are the same, and thetires 40 on which the wheels are mounted are the same, the mountedwheels 20, 60 have a remarkably different outward appearance. The wheel60 of FIG. 8 gives the appearance of a significantly larger diameterwheel mounted on a low-profile tire. Upon casual inspection, it isunlikely that an observer would perceive that the barrel 70 of the wheel60 actually has a much smaller diameter and that the outer flange 66extends across a substantial portion of the outboard tire wall 42.Indeed, the diameter of the wheel 60 may even be made to appear to belarger than any wheel readily available to consumers in themass-production wheel market.

The front view of the additional embodiments of FIGS. 7A and 7C areshown in FIG. 8A, and the front view of the additional embodiment ofFIG. 7B is shown in FIG. 8B. If means are used to cover the bolts and/orscrews (or equivalent connectors), then these embodiments would lookeven more like the embodiment shown in FIG. 8.

Referring to FIG. 9, the interface between the inboard lip 68 and theinboard tire wall 44 is similar to that of standard wheels and tires ofthe prior art. The inboard bead 50 is shaped to correspond to the sizeand shape of the inboard lip 68. The inboard tire wall 44 usually willnot bend or contort to stretch around the inboard lip 68 understationary loads and normal operating conditions.

The outboard bead 48 of the tire 40 interfaces with the lower portion 69of the outer flange 66. The outboard tire wall 42 is pushed in theinboard direction by the outer flange 66, causing the tire wall 42 tobend inwardly around the outer flange 66. Thus, the tire 40, whenmounted on the wheel 60 with the outer flange 66, has a somewhat concaveradially inward outboard surface, whereas the tire 40, when mounted onthe wheel 20 with a typical outboard lip 28, has a more convex radiallyinward outboard surface (see FIG. 5) when pressurized under a standardvehicle load.

The use of a standard tire 40 on the wheel 60 is feasible, but haspotential disadvantages. First, as previously explained, the innerradial portion of the outboard tire wall 42 must usually bend around theouter flange 66, forming a concave radially inward outboard surface. Thetire 40 is not specifically designed to be mounted on such a wheel 60and may be subject to unintended contortion forces along the outboardtire wall 42, particularly near the radially outward edge of the outerflange 66, which could strain or cause excessive wear on the tire 40.Second, the outboard tire wall 42 often has words on its face, includingthe brand/model of the tire and the tire specifications (such as thetire volume and recommended tire pressure). The outer flange 66 may,depending upon its size and the relative positioning of the words, coverall or a portion of these words on the outboard tire wall 42. Third, thesimulation of a larger-diameter wheel with a low-profile tire in aperspective view may be less effective when the wheel 60 does not appearto interface tightly with the tire 40 on which it is mounted.

Referring to FIGS. 10-11, an embodiment of the tire 90 of the presentinvention includes an outboard tire wall 92, an inboard tire wall 96,and a tread 98. The outboard tire wall 92 preferably includes anoutboard bead 100, a wheel protector 102, and a ledge 108. As usedherein, the term “ledge” may include horizontal, curved, slanted, orsloping surfaces. The inboard tire wall 96 preferably includes aninboard bead 104. The opening in the center of the tire 90 is the wheelvoid 106. The tire beads 100, 104 are comprised essentially of indentedrings formed on the inner radial edges of the respective inboard andoutboard tire walls 92, 96. The wheel 60 is mounted within the wheelvoid 106 of the tire 90.

The wheel protector 102 on the outboard tire wall 92 extends in theoutboard direction beyond the outboard wheel face 64. Preferably, thewheel protector 92 extends at least about 1/16 inch, and more preferablybetween about 1/16 inch and about 1/4 inch beyond the wheel face 64.When the vehicle on which the tire 90 is mounted comes in contact with alarge stationary object (such as a curb), the flexible wheel protector102 on the outboard tire wall 92 touches the object instead of the wheelface 64. The wheel face 64 is thereby protected from scratching andbending. The width of the ledge 108 is preferably at least about 1/8inch, and more preferably between about 1/8 inch and about 1/4 inch.Those of skill in the art will appreciate after reading this disclosurethat many other widths for the ledge and wheel protector within andbeyond these ranges are possible and are encompassed by the presentinvention.

In the illustrated embodiment, the radial location of the ledge 108(i.e., the distance between the inner diameter d_(i) of the tire and thediameter d_(L) of the ledge 108) is about the same as or displaced aslight distance in the outwardly radial direction from the outerdiameter of the 2½-inch-wide outer flange 66 of the wheel 60. Aspreviously explained, those of skill in the art will appreciate afterreading this disclosure that the outer flange 66 may have many otherwidths, including 1 inch, 1 1/2 inches, 2 inches, 2 1/2 inches, 3inches, 3 1/2 inches, or 4 inches. Thus, the diameter d_(L) would alsohave corresponding sizes of about 1 inch, 1 1/2 inches, 2 inches, 2 1/2inches, 3 inches, 3 1/2 inches, or 4 inches to approximately match thesize of the outer flange 66. The outer diameter d_(p) of the wheelprotector 102 is somewhat larger than the diameter d_(L) of the ledge108. The region between the inner diameter d_(i) of the tire wall 92 andthe diameter of d_(L) of the ledge 108 is the flange seat 109. The widthW_(fs) of the flange seat 109 is preferably at least about one-quarterof the width of the outboard tire wall 92 (as measured along the tirewall 92 from the inner diameter d_(i) to the outer tire diameter d_(t)where the tread 98 begins). More preferably, the width W_(fs) of theflange seat 108 is at least about one-third, and most preferably atleast about one-half, of the width of the outboard tire wall 92. Manyother sizes within and beyond these ranges and examples are encompassedby the present invention. If the flange seat 109 and outer flange 66 donot extend radially far enough, the desired simulation is lesseffective. If they extend too far, the vehicle on which the wheel ismounted would undesirably appear to be riding on its wheels with littleor no tire visible.

In the embodiment of FIG. 11, the inboard bead 104 is intended tocorrespond to the height of the inboard lip 68, and is similar in shapeand size to the inboard bead 50 of a typical tire of the prior art (seeFIG. 5). Any words written on the outboard tire wall 92 are preferablypositioned above the flange seat 109 so that such words are fullyvisible after the wheel 60 has been mounted within the tire 90 and theouter flange 66 covers up substantially all of the flange seat 109.

In the embodiment of FIG. 11A the tire 90 includes flange seats 109 onthe inboard and outboard sides. The tire 90 is therefore more symmetricand balanced. Advantageously, during manufacturing and installation ofthe tire 90 in FIG. 11A, it is unnecessary to be concerned with theinboard or outboard orientation of the tire 90. In the embodiment ofFIG. 11B, the tire of FIG. 11A has been mounted on the wheel of FIG. 7Dwith a detachable inboard flange.

The flange seat 109 is preferably contoured to generally match theinterior faces of the flanges 66, 77. The flange seat 109 is alsopreferably constructed to be substantially more rigid than the remainderof the outboard tire wall 92, the tread 98, and/or the inboard tire wall96. The rigidity of the flange seat 109 (on the outboard and/or inboardtire walls) is intended to deflect or transfer at least a portion of theflexing of the tire radially outwardly to the peripheral areas of thetire. In this way, the radially inward portion of the tire, which may benear or even touching the flanges 66, 77 of the wheel 60, will be lesslikely to press forcefully against the flanges 66, 77 possibly causingthem to bend or to produce undue wear on the tire walls. The shieldingof the flange 66, 77 by the rigidity of the flange seat 109 isespecially advantageous in extreme driving conditions, such as in tightturns, under heavy loads, or when a tire passes into a depression in theroad at high speeds.

Those of skill in the art will appreciate after reading this disclosurethat the rigidity of the flange seat 109 may be increased by any numberof methods known in the art such as, for example, including or modifyingthe characteristics of imbedded radial belts, heating and/or compressingthe rubber material, or otherwise changing the density or composition ofthe rubber material of the tire wall in this region.

The flange seat 109 allows the outer flange 66 to be seated within thetire wall 92 in a manner that more closely simulates a large-diameterwheel mounted within a low profile tire. Even in a perspective view, itwould be difficult for a casual observer to detect that the barrel 70 ofthe wheel 60 is not commensurate in size with the outer diameter of theoutboard face 64 of the wheel 60, and that the tire 90 is actually muchwider than it appears from the inner radial edge of the tire wall 92 tothe tread 98.

In the illustrated embodiment, there is a relatively small gap 111between the flange seat 109 and the outer flange 66. The gap 111 permitsthe flange seat 109 to flex and bend a small amount under normal drivingconditions. If there were a substantial gap between the outer flange 66and the outboard tire wall 42, the effectiveness of the simulation of alarge-diameter wheel would be greatly diminished because the outerflange 66 may appear to be separated from the rest of the wheel, and theunderlying tire wall 42 may be visible behind the outer flange 66. Theflange seat 109 could also be constructed such that there is no gapbetween the flange seat 109 and the outer flange to achieve a tighterfit.

The lengths of each of the outboard and inboard tire walls 92, 96 areeach preferably in the range of about 3½ inches to 5½ inches. Moreover,the distance between the tread 98 and the inner diameter of the outboardtire wall 92 is preferably about the same as the distance between thetread 98 and the inner diameter of the inboard tire wall 96. If eitherof the tire walls 92, 96 were substantially longer than the other, thetire might be subject to unbalanced stresses or wear, and perhapsrequire a specialized fitting for the wheel on which the tire ismounted. The lengths of the inboard and outboard tire walls 92, 96 couldbe different, especially if the tire 90 were designed to be mounted on amodified wheel wherein the inboard and outboard diameters of the barrel70 were not the same.

FIG. 12 is a side view of another embodiment of a wheel 110 of thepresent invention with the tire 90 of FIG. 10 mounted thereon. The wheel110 is similar to the wheel 60 of FIGS. 6, 7, 9, and 11, but the barrel112 is divided into an outboard portion 116 and an inboard portion 118along a vertical interface 114. In the wheel industry, a wheel with sucha divided barrel is commonly referred to as a “two-piece” wheel. Asshown in FIG. 13, the outboard portion may be further divided into anoutboard face 119 and a middle portion 117. The wheel 110 is referred toin the wheel industry as a “three-piece” wheel. The various portions116, 119, 117 of the wheel 110 may be detached from the inboard portion118 of the wheel 110 by removing securing bolts (not shown). Theembodiments of FIGS. 12 and 13 could also be used with the flanges,wheel face, and/or tires of FIGS. 7A-D, 8A-8B, and 11A-B.

In general, two- and three-piece wheels are more costly than one-piecewheels and are targeted at consumers who drive more expensive vehicles.Many high-end vehicles come stock from the factory with two- andthree-piece wheels. The inboard portion 118 of such wheels usually has aspecialized size and shape to fit a particular type of vehicle axle orto accommodate specially designed components in the braking, steering,or suspension systems. It would not be cost-effective for mostafter-market wheel manufacturers to make different types of one-piecewheels for each of the different types of vehicles that requirespecialized wheel parts. Instead, the vehicles come with two- orthree-piece wheels having a specialized inboard portion 118, but aninterchangeable front face 116 and/or middle portion 117. In this way,the consumer can obtain an after-market wheel with a stylish appearance,but the wheel manufacturer does not need to undertake the expense ofbuilding and marketing different one-piece wheels for the many differentvarieties of specialized wheel sizes.

The individual costs of manufacturing two- and three-piece wheels may behigher, but the overall volume of such wheel sales in the industry ismuch lower than the sales volume for one-piece wheels. For this reason,one-piece wheels are generally made with expensive, high-volume castingequipment, whereas two- and three-piece wheels are machined from blocksof alloy metal. It is generally less expensive to re-tool the machiningprocess to manufacture a larger wheel or a specialty wheel than it wouldbe to re-tool the high-volume casting equipment. Thus, it iscontemplated that the present invention may be especially suited for theproduction of machined two- and three-piece wheels sizes that may notyet even be available in one-piece molded sizes.

It is also contemplated that the various embodiments of the presentinvention may be especially suited for use with small vehicles and/orstock wheels for vehicles. Vehicle manufacturers are constantlysearching for products that enhance the performance and/or aesthetics oftheir vehicles without adding significantly to the overall cost. Thisprinciple is particularly important in connection with less expensivecars. The present invention encompasses a wide range of enhanced wheelsizes that provide the appearance of an expensive upgrade for arelatively small amount of additional cost.

While the foregoing description sets forth various examples and detailsrelating to preferred embodiments, it should be appreciated that thedescription is illustrative only and should not to be construed aslimiting the invention. Thus, the scope of this disclosure is not to belimited by the illustrations or the foregoing descriptions thereof, butrather solely by the appended claims.

1. A wheel, comprising: a central hub having an inboard side and anoutboard side; an outer flange removably attached to the outboard sideof the hub and extending radially outwardly, the outer flange having aninner diameter and an outer diameter, wherein the difference between theinner and outer diameters is at least about 1 inch; and a plurality ofat least one of either protrusions, indentations, or slits formed on theoutboard face of the wheel and extending across at least a portion ofthe outer flange, whereby the wheel is adapted to give an appearance ofa larger-diameter wheel when mounted within a tire.